Terry Black's Barbecue
Smoke, Brisket, and Surprisingly Good Texas Wine
Waco · Waco · Barbecue · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk in expecting a cooler full of Lone Stars and maybe a Dr Pepper, and instead you find a curated list of Texas wines anchored by bottles from Friday Mountain Resort and Winery. It's not what you planned for, but it's exactly what you didn't know you needed. The whole thing feels like a deliberate bet on Texas terroir — and honestly, respect.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans hard into the Texas Hill Country and High Plains, with Friday Mountain doing most of the heavy lifting. The trio of 2020 releases — a Mourvèdre, a Syrah, and a Tempranillo — signals someone in this operation actually knows what grows well in Texas heat. It's a short list, but the regional commitment is real and the variety within it is smarter than you'd expect from a barbecue joint. The gap is obvious: if you're not into Texas red wines, your options thin out fast.
By the Glass
By-the-glass specifics aren't fully documented here, so we can't speak to pour counts or rotation with confidence. What we do know is that the bottle program is built around Friday Mountain's reds, and if those are available by the glass, they're worth the ask. Get whoever's working the floor to walk you through it — there's reportedly a sommelier in the mix, which is genuinely surprising and encouraging for a BBQ counter-service setup.
2020 FridayMtn. Tempranillo — $75
At $75, it's the entry point into the Friday Mountain lineup and Tempranillo's savory, earthy profile is built for smoke and fat. Not a steal, but the best bang-for-buck on this list.
2020 FridayMtn. Mourvèdre
Most people at a Texas BBQ spot aren't ordering Mourvèdre — which is exactly why you should. It's a dark, meaty grape that handles char and rendered fat better than almost anything else on a wine list. This bottle will surprise you.
2020 FridayMtn. Syrah
At $75 it's not egregious, but with the Mourvèdre right there at $80 and the Tempranillo at the same price point, the Syrah ends up as the odd one out. Nothing wrong with it — it just doesn't stand out the way the other two do in this context.
2020 FridayMtn. Mourvèdre + Beef Ribs
A big, fatty beef rib needs something with backbone and a little funk to cut through it. Mourvèdre brings iron, black fruit, and a savory edge that goes toe-to-toe with the smoke without flinching. This is the pairing.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Terry Black's Waco is a Wild Card in the truest sense — a legit Texas BBQ institution that took a swing on an all-Texas wine program and mostly landed it. If you're coming for brisket, consider ordering a bottle too; it's a better story than you'd expect.
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